Low cost carrier Wizz Air will open a base in Podgorica next year, launching fourteen new routes in the process, including services to Ljubljana. New destinations include Barcelona, Basel, Beauvais, Baden Baden, Cologne, Hamburg, Rome Fiumicino, Gdansk, Maastricht, Malmo, Poznan, Rzeszow, Ljubljana and Wrocław. Wizz Air will compete directly against flag carrier Air Montenegro on services to Rome and Ljubljana, as well as Ryanair to Gdansk and Wroclaw. The new routes will join the already served Budapest, Dortmund, Memmingen and Milan Malpensa on a year-round basis, as well as Katowice, London Gatwick and Warsaw seasonally. The carrier previously announced Vilnius as a new additiom to its Podgorica network. The airline plans to have two Airbus A321neo aircraft based in the city, with a number of routes launching in late March and a second batch in June.
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Wizz Air is already Podgorica's largest carrier by available seat capacity, with just over 400.000 seats on the market in 2025. It is projected to handle some 309.000 passengers on its Podgorica flights this year. Commenting on the development, Wizz Air CEO, Jozsef Varadi, said, “We are proud to deepen our roots in Podgorica and bring new opportunities to the people of Montenegro. This base represents much more than operational growth. It is a long-term investment in the future of mobility, the economy and Montenegro’s global connectivity”.
The CEO of operator Airports of Montenegro, Roko Tolić, added, "I am especially pleased because this is one of those announcements that will bring joy not only to all citizens of Montenegro but also to the entire economy. Still, we have just this one day to celebrate, because starting tomorrow, Airports of Montenegro faces a continuation of important tasks ahead. In a very short period, before next spring, we must urgently enhance our infrastructure and operational capacities, successfully organise extended working hours and train new staff. We are ready to introduce a third shift in Podgorica and are determined to develop Airports of Montenegro to a level that matches the potential of this remarkable country".
good news for ljubjana!
ReplyDeletenice!!!! it wont be as strong as Skopje but still great!
DeleteIt has more frequencies than SKP 😂
DeleteFor now. Since Skopje SS26 is not updated yet. probably they will fly daily in SS
DeleteIt will never have the LF that SKP has.
DeleteOnly Riyadh-Jeddah has better LF than LJU-SKP
DeleteA welcome surprise, this probs means 4O is out, though
DeleteI’m surprised but happy Ljubljana made the list!
DeleteWow, this is strong!
ReplyDeleteNow we need Wizzair to connect Ljubljana and Belgrade.
DeletePoznan, Rzeszow and Wroclaw?
ReplyDeleteI have some doubts...
For Polish tourists
DeleteWhy dont they fly then to TIV?
DeleteTIV is falling apart in summer more than TGD.
DeleteBecause in TGD they can get local traffic too.
DeleteThey certainly won`t base an aircraft on an airport closed after sunset. But they could operate Tivat from other bases.
Delete> from other bases
DeleteI guess the other base could be TGD? Something like TGD-POZ-TIV-POZ-TGD?
It's close to Mostar, which might be a factor as well
DeleteWhy is Mostar interesting? Don't believe the analyst and bloated Međugorje numbers, Mostar itself has much more tourists and needs a separate flight, it's still a 3-4 hour drive
DeleteWell, it is Medžugorje that attracts Poles, that's why they visit
DeleteWhy nobody ever here questions why small Montenegro has two airports 1:30h drive apart from each other, while it's constantly the topic how come Bosnia has 4 and is so small!
DeleteYesssss, MLH/BSL - TGD
ReplyDeleteCongrats to TGD
ReplyDeleteFarewell Air Montenegro
ReplyDeleteBravo Roko!
ReplyDeleteI must say I agree
DeleteVilnius?
ReplyDeleteYes, it was announced a month ago and it is for tourists. Air Montenegro used to fly charters there last year. Not sure about this one
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/09/wizz-air-launching-new-podgorica-service.html
OMG YES LJUBLJANA!
ReplyDeleteWhat a welcome news
It is wild to me that TGD-LJU will have more seats available than BEG-LJU!
Deletethey should start Belgrade - Ljubljana too.
Delete@ anon 11:52
DeleteBEG-LJU works on frequencies. There is also INI-LJU.
There should also be KVO - LJU.
DeleteWow Ljubljana is starting with 4x weekly!!
ReplyDeleteVery odd how Wizzair seemingly flies only PSO/tender flights to Ljubljana, but won't apply for slovenian tender. Looks like Slovenian government really doesn't know what they are doing, when an airline is happy to apply for government help everywhere else whilst not in Slovenia
ReplyDeleteor you simply dont know the background. The tender was based on current legislation. Now once parliament confirms new law, they will be able to do PSO.
DeleteYeah, old tender wasn't in touch with reality. It only subsidised loss-making routes, when the problem with LJU has been poor yields in comparison to other markets. Iberia, despite applying, received zero in compensation
DeleteThe problem of Slovenian tender is that it's alligned with EU Aviation guidelines. They do only what they are allowed to do (new routes, 50% airport costs). TGD is sadly not a new route from LJU so not eligible.
DeleteWell AirMontenegro can now focus on Tivat, and hope and pray that PSO routes are made for them. That's the only way they are surviving
ReplyDeleteThey can also add capacity to BEG.
DeleteIndeed
DeleteGreat news! I do find Podgorica Airport can get very over crowded during the summer, especially if there is even the slightest of delays which leading to becoming really quite uncomfortable. I remember one evening when several flights were delayed and many hundreds of passengers were hunting for what seemed like one or two sockets for charging mobile phones.
ReplyDeleteThat being said it's really great news that Wizz are going to base two such wonderful aircraft here and routes to places such Maastricht and Rzeszów speak of a confidence in Montenegro's tourist appeal.
Great. I hope Zagreb will be connected with Podgorica again soon.
ReplyDeleteyou just drive to ljubljana and use wizz flight ... thats why we have schengen
DeleteSeeing Podgorica and Tuzla get Wizzair base but not Ljubljana pains me, especially as they could attack FRs position in Rynair with summer routes to Greek, Spanish and Italian destinations
ReplyDeleteWe can probably say goodbye to TGD-LJU with Air Montenegro. Maybe they will keep TIV-LJU, but majority will still fly with Wizz.
ReplyDeleteor they will fly on days when wizz wont fly - yet.
DeleteI think they will go with 4x weekly to TIV. Let's wait and see what happens with PSO, I think Ljubljana will be included
DeleteSo Ljubljana is the only ex-yu city with 2 intra ex-yu connections?
ReplyDeleteintra llc connections *
DeleteZagreb has flights to Sarajevo, Mostar, Skopje, Belgrade and sometimes Prishtina. Or do you mean Wizzair routes in which case yes.
Delete^ He said LCC and ZAG-PRN has not operated in years.
DeleteYou also have flights from Belgrade to: Podgorica, Tivat, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split, Rijeka, Pula, Zadar, Skopje, Ohrid, Mostar, Sarajevo...
Yes the addition was only seen after i replied. It will be great to see the figures for LJ. Hopefully prices will be very reasonable.
DeleteI'm sceptical about this...Malmö have from Belgrade less frequency and they expect more passenger from Podgorica!?
ReplyDeleteThat one's the most surprising. I'm aware it holds a massive exyu diaspora, but I always thought it was moreso Bosnians, there's lots more Montenegrins in France and Germany
DeleteCopenhagen always had strong demand to Montenegrin market.
DeleteI doubt those frequencies will last.
DeleteI think the same.
DeleteCPH wss closed from BEG and SKP but opened from TGD? Now thats weird
DeleteThis is major news!
ReplyDeleteNow we only need a Ljubljana base :)
Just please check yourself in online and read how much cabin baggage you can have. Make staff happy. We don't want to argue with you. Help us help you.
ReplyDeleteWell done to TGD. Now it's PRN and LJU's turn to get a base on LCC. Is GP low-cost?
ReplyDeleteCongrats TGD!
ReplyDeleteI see some routes that could be interesting for Skopje and Ohrid as well, at least seasonally.
No idea whats happening to Ljubljana flights, but the price was 19€ one way this morning and now most of them are about 60€? Is it possible that agencies are buying them?
ReplyDeleteMaybe they are still playing around with the flights. Half an hour ago I could choose the flights to LJU on the calendar, but no flights showed up on the next step.
Delete"Our specialist team turned off certain features on the site to perform a scheduled maintenance.
DeletePlease visit the site later to access this feature!
Thank you for your patience."
Prices on some days are now €80 — with prices like that, Air Montenegro can compete with them.
DeleteJesus Christ, relax, it's only been a couple of hours.
Delete@ anonym 14:46h
Delete😂👍🏼
I dream of the moment this happens to Sarajevo and flights to Poland, Lithuania, Romania are introduced
ReplyDeleteSarajevo is far away from the coast. So it is not possible to fill such flights from such countries with tourists. Especially when there is no diaspora/Gastarbeiter demand at all.
DeleteSarajevo has a ton of leisure demand and also tourists from Czechia, Poland and Romania, plus the local demand towards Prague and Krakow from tour agencies, it would easily warrant flights. So many random towns in Europe are linked by LCCs that SJJ is a no brainier. There's even a Tuzla-Larnaca line now that will likely be a massive hit but was ridiculed here.
DeleteEasily? I have big doubts. With 9,99 Euro ticket you might be able to fill the flights during the summertime, keep in mind that the airlines need some pax who agree to pay 100,200,300 Euros for the tickets. Who would book such flights in higher numbers who would agree with it?
DeleteA no brainer is SJJ-CPH/ARN/BSL/FMM/STR/DTM. But not what you would like to see.
DeleteIf Skopje has some leisure routes Sarajevo can too, after all it has Rome and Girona doing amazingly well , especially Krakow and Prague, I fully agree.
Delete“ Wizz Air is already Podgorica's largest carrier by available seat capacity, with just over 400.000 seats on the market in 2025. It is projected to handle some 309.000 passengers on its Podgorica flights this year.”
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean their average LF was below 80 %? Or is it a typo and it should say 390k?
It is not a typo.
DeleteHow does it make sense to start the base there with 75% LF, when Ljubljana is running 98% one on the route no one thought it's viable. Fraport SURELY isn't helping the case here? I'm lost
DeleteFantastic news for Montenegro! Fourteen new routes in one go is unprecedented. Finally, people will have affordable options to fly directly from Podgorica without needing to connect elsewhere.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWizz Air is clearly betting big on Podgorica. But will all of these routes survive long term?
ReplyDeleteWizz Air’s statement about long term investment sounds nice but as we all know they’ve pulled out of bases before. I’ll believe it’s permanent when I see it still running in 3 years time.
DeleteIt will run as soon they recieving subsidies they dont care , after that slowly they will start reducing and cutting routes... thats the real sad story behind this
Delete^ why do you feel so threatened whenever there is sxpansion in Podgorica and Sarajevo and belittle it? Are you afraid it will challenge your Skopje?
DeleteCompetition on Rome and Ljubljana will be interesting to watch. Air Montenegro will have to react fast or it could lose passengers on both routes.
ReplyDeleteTBH is Air Montenegro really much competition? Certainly it has its work cut out.
DeleteSooner or later, this will be the death knell for Air Montenegro. Losses will accumulate over the years to the point where it no longer makes sense to maintain a state-owned carrier for such a small market. If OU does not finally bow to market conditions, it will suffer the same fate as Air Montenegro or, earlier, JP.
ReplyDeleteJU has different conditions with the BEG HUB system and a certain size to cushion such attacks. In 10 years, JU will most likely be the only local provider left in the former YU market.
It’s great to finally see more connections to Western and Northern Europe.
ReplyDeleteWizz Air already dominates in Podgorica, now they’re cementing their position even more. But I wonder what this means for Tivat. Will they ever expand there too?
ReplyDeleteLet’s just hope there’s enough ground staff and infrastructure ready by March
ReplyDeleteThey even dont have night shift and not trained staff for it , I dont know how they plan to handle this when they dont have a bridges , how they will organize this routes I really dont know without infrastructure
DeleteThis expansion shows the potential of Montenegro’s market when handled properly. Other airlines should take note. There’s clearly demand.
ReplyDeleteThis expansion is because Wizz will get subsidies not because there is real demand , if there is demand as you saying more another airline will launch flights , everyone knows tbis airport works only for summer season in winter is dead;)
DeleteMost destinations are so random.
ReplyDeleteAnd its overwhelming inbound because Montegrins dont fly to most of these places.
Not enough to fill A321s..
Pretty sure from next winter this routes will not operate , they could work in summer but in winter no , either they suspend them for winter or just reduce flights to 1x weekly just to keep the subsidies program alive
DeleteWho's flying these new routes in the middle of winter? Many tourists visiting from Poland in January?
ReplyDeleteCity break Podgorica and or Tivat.
DeleteThis routes will work for summer , but in winter definitely they will not be in a demand taking in size how big is Montenegro and not with a big diaspora abroad, from 2027 for sure half of this routes will not operate winter , 2026 will be just a test
DeleteTGD Flight to/from Poland are summer only.
DeleteDoes this routes will be year round or seasonal and are they subsided program from government ?
ReplyDeletePoland/VNO flights seasonal, others mostly year around.
DeleteThank you
DeleteI didnt know that podgorica airport doesnt have third shift until now.. btw alot of this routes already will face direct competition with other airlines ,which for small airport like this sometimes is very hard to fill up planes ,traditonally is one route served by one airline is more sucsesfully then 2 airlines serving it , I am not so sure there will be huge demand with routes already served and as we know this is summer seasonal airport with just few year round routes, bur anyway good luck.
ReplyDeleteMalmo,Beauvais,Hamburg,Rome ,Cologne ,Basel and Baden could work year round with reduced frequencies , but all other such that Poland routes , Vilnius , Maastricht , Barcelona who will fill them in winter ? Whos tourist will go there in winter ? :D plus it not Tivat for tourists important is Tivat not Podgorica , my opinion from next winter half of those routes will be suspend or keept just for subsidies program....
ReplyDeletePoland and Vilnius routes are seasonal.
DeleteThank you for the info..
DeleteAnyway the other routes which are year round you think there is enough demand to will up that big hubs in winter ?
During wintertime there are almost no tourists travelling to Montenegro so it is important to have destinations with a strong Yugo diaspora/gastarbeiters community to and from where people travel also during the low season. In Western Europe you have such places. So TGD-Germany/Scandinavia could work then. If it is enough for Wizzair to make profit we will see at the end.
DeleteI dont know who will fill up Malo,Cologne,Hamburg , Maastricht flights in winter when bigger airports here coult not handle that not airport in size of Podgorica good luck👍
ReplyDeleteIt is less about the size of the airport it is more about where is travel demand and where not.
DeleteBigger airports can sustain routes like this , smallers cannot , there is not diaspora included , it is small country mostly visited by tourists in winter
DeleteAn ambitious network, more or less on par with what I would’ve dared back in the day. Sadly Ukraine is out of bounds these days, otherwise it would’ve also been a natural link.
ReplyDeleteCrossing my fingers for it to work out. Ajmo đetići moji :)
Why don’t they fly from Podgorica to Belgrade. It is profitable
ReplyDeleteThey can't fly as an EU carrier between 2 non EU countries
Delete